Have honors core classes in middle school at Fort Zumwalt School District

Currently the are very few options for gifted students/high ability learners in the Fort Zumwalt School District. Compared to other school districts in the area and other similarly sized school district, Fort Zumwalt is way behind. Currently for 6th and 7th graders the only core class that has advanced options, is Math. In 8th grade honors science is offered. There are no honors English or Social Studies offered in middle school. In addition the advanced math, which allows 8th graders to take Algebra, is not as advanced as other school districts where you can take Geometry in 8th grade.

Fort Zumwalt School District is doing a great disservice to our gifted children by not challenging them. The school district is also doing a great disservice to our community by not educating our youth to the best of their ability. We need our brightest and smartest to be challenged, to study hard, and to succeed so that they can better our world.

My child is a current 8th grader at North Middle School and was currently recognized by Duke University to be one of the brightest 7th graders in the country based on his ACT score. We have asked for to be able to take honors 9th grade ELA and Social Studies, and have been told no by the school district. There are many other gifted students who have had similar challenges.

We are asking the school district to change the curriculum to include honors ELA, Social Studies, Science, and Math for 6-8th graders. We are asking for them to have an option to take Algebra in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th grade. We are suggesting that they use MAP test results, teacher recommendations, and grades to determine which children would benefit from these higher level classes.